Apartment agency costs scrapped

The agency costs for people who want to rent rooms or floors is going to be scrapped. In future, if the mediator works for tenant as well as landlord, then only the landlord will be the only one who has to pay for it.

This comes from the bill proposed by minister Ivo Opstelten (Security and Justice), as well as minister Stef Blok (Living and National Service).

The ministers believe that the position of room tenants will be improved, as the difference between tenants for rooms and tenants for other living spaces will disappear. For tenants of other living spaces, paying for agency costs has not been in effect for a longer time.

Many tenants don't know this, however, which some agency offices and realtors take advantage of.

Mediation costs for a room also have to be in proportion with what kind of work the mediator has done.